Groot begijnhof Leuven, a brief history

Situation

The Beguinage of Leuven lies on the banks of the River Dyle, in a quarter called "Ten Hove", south of the city center. The part on the left river bank is known as Spanish Quarter, but also as "Aborg", or, in Latin, "Vetus Castellum". This name could refer to the first castle of Leuven, which was conquered by the Vikings at the end of the Ninth Century. In 891, these Vikings were beaten by the German emperor, Arnulf of Carinthia, in the battle of Leuven. Although the exact location of the battle is unknown, it is possibly the present site of the Beguinage.
The actual history of the Beguinage only starts in the Twelfth Century. For Europe, this was an era of economical, cultural and religious revival. The crusades had brought men in touch with Arabic science and culture. Society evolved from a feudal, purely agrarian model to a new type, based on trade and international contacts. This is also the period of the origin of towns. In this society, finding enough food was no longer the only and central question: people had more fundamental questions and were trying to give their lifes sense. This climate gave rise to a broad mystical movement in Europe.
Religious revival was also due to the end of the Investiture Struggle (1075-1122). In the 11th century, bishops and prelates were appointed by local civil authorities like dukes, kings or emperors. After a long and complicated "struggle" the pope regain his (exclusive) prerogatives concerning religious affairs.

The origin of new religious movements

During the 12th century, we see the origin of many new religious movements, most of them trying to return to the old ideals of "living like Christ in his time". One of these were the "wandering preachers" in Germany. Unlike them, the Albigensians or cathars, in southern France, rejected all ecclesiastic authority and Christian dogmas. Also the Apostolici rejected all ecclesiastic discipline and most dogmas. They also postulated complete renunciation of earthly goods. It is in this context, we see the first appearance of the name "beghina", mostly in a pejorative meaning, indicating a person who "begs" or stammers (derived from a French word)
After the crusades, under Greek-Byzantine influence, a mystical movement invade the western world. Especially women were attracted by this ideal. They didn't want to withdraw into the wilderness but retired to hermitages near a cloister, a church or a chapel. These women wanted to devote their lifes to contemplation. This evolution caused the origin of so called "double cloisters". Cloistered women lived in the immediate neighbourhood of regular monks.

Difficult start

To stop the explosion of new, and sometimes dangerous new religion movements, the 4th Lateran Council prohibited all new monastic orders that were not based on the traditional rules (e.g. Benedict's rules). (1215) Some people started immediately to apply this decision to the "beguine" movement. In the mean time, most traditional abbeys tried to get rid of their "double cloister": they considered it to include possible dangers for order. However, some people were impressed by the devoted life of these religious women. ("mulieres religiosae"). One of them, Jacob of Vitry, an Augustinian monk, complained of how these pious women were being prosecuted. (1216) He convinced the Pope, Honorius III, to give an oral approval for the Beguine Movement as it existed in the Low Countries.

The origin of Beguinages or Beguine Courts

In the beginning, most religious women lived apart. After the end of the double cloisters, they looked for other places. They were certainly stimulated to go and live in groups, convents, because in this way, it was easier to get overview and control over this religious movement. (about 1240) The oldest, still existing document mentions the Beguinage of Leuven in 1232. This beguine convent was founded outside the city walls of those days. Tradition has it that the beguines of Leuven originally lived in Meldert, a small village at 10 miles from the city. They would have left this village because of misery of war. Until now, no written document has been found, confirming this legend, but it is a fact that the beguinage of Leuven owned several properties in the village of Meldert.
In the Low Countries, some of these convents developed into beguine courts, i.e., extensive groups of houses around a church. In some beguinages in Flanders (e.g. Bruges), these houses are grouped in a large square, whereas other beguinages (e.g. Leuven) look like a small city, with streets. These beguinages are mostly situated on the edge of a city, outside the former city walls, and very often near a river: beguines needed water, for instance, to wash clothes.
So, we distinguish three stages in the development of beguinages. The first is the period of "beginae indisciplinatae": women inspired by the mystical movement of the 12th century, retired from the world. During the second period, these women formed small groups, to create a more stimulating atmosphere for a religious life. (beginae disciplinatae). The third step only appeared in the Low Countries and, as we will see, this is one of the reasons why only there the beguine movement survived the early troubles: the formation of extensive beguine courts or beguinages, often with hundreds of "beginae clausae". In the beginning of the fourteenth century, a new wave of foundations took place. Apart from a few exceptions, the convents erected in this era, however, did not grow into large beguine courts.
Beguines did not make perpetual vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, as classical monks and nuns did. Their promises were only temporal and poverty was not necessary: a beguine had her own possessions and her own income. She only promised celibacy and obedience as long as she remained in the beguinage. She was free to leave the community at any moment, although she mostly had to give up her rights on her house in the beguinage upon leaving.

The 14th century

In Germany, things were far more confusing: the formation of large beguine courts was a typical phenomenon in the Low Countries, but elsewhere, beguines continued to live in small groups. Some of these groups really showed interest for dangerous, non-catholic ideas. Therefore, German Bishops continued to persecute the beguines. At the Council of Vienne (France, 1311), Pope Clement V condemned all Beguines, although a clause was appended to his bull, stating that an exception should be made "for all faithful women". This bull was confusing and the beguines depended on the interpretation by local authorities. In Germany and France, most beguines disappeared in the following 50 to 100 years. In the Low Countries, civil authorities tried to confiscate the (rich) properties of the beguines. In 1318, Pope John XXII repeated that an exception could only be made for Beguines in the Low Countries. But persecutions only ceased by the end of the 15th century after many interventions and petitions from the beguines to the pope. All popes gave only an oral admission and added that "they did not thereby wish to (really) approve their way of living". The beguines never got an official recognition. The Dominicans, who were responsible for the Holy Inquisition, contributed a great deal to securing the orthodoxy of the beguines. For the beguinages in the Low Countries, the 13th and 14th century were a first period of expansion. The early Gothic church in the Beguinage of Leuven is still a witness from this time. Its construction was started in 1305, as indicated right to the north portal (anno domini MCCCV haec ecclesia incepit). Houses were built in wood. Unlike the church, the House of God, these beguine houses were not constructed for eternity. At the end of the 15th century, the priest of the beguinage of Leuven was Adrianus Boeyens, who afterwards became pope in Rome (1520). He was the last non-Italian pope until 1978.

The 16th-18th century

The 16th century was a terrible time for the beguines: the civil war in the Low Countries caused enormous damage: many courts were destroyed (e.g. Antwerp). In 1579, Spanish soldiers occupied parts of the beguinage in Leuven and used it as a headquarter. This civil war also had a religious component: calvinists were fighting the conservative, catholic king of Spain, who at that time ruled the Low Countries. After the calvinists conquered the Northern Low Countries (The Netherlands, apprx. 1585) most beguines disappeared in this region, because they were a catholic organisation. After the civil war, in the 17th century, the beguinages in the Southern Low Countries (Belgium, especially Flanders) had a second period of great expansion. Reforms by Joannes Hauchinus (1527 - 1589) initiated the expansion. This archbishop of Mechelen introduced general rules for all beguine communities in his diocese. These rules made the communities more respectable among the population and clergy. This helped the beguines, independent women, to survive in a climate where, since the reformation and contrareformation, rules and organisation in the church had become stricter. On the other hand, as the control by this clergy on the communities became stronger, the communities lost some of their independence and spiritual life. Until that time, beguines had chosen their own mistresses. In Leuven, all women who had spent ten years or more in the court, elected their mistresses democratically. Mostly three or four of them managed the daily affairs together. This system continued in the following centuries, but the role of the priest (called the primarius) in the management became more important. Henricus Vennius was primarius from 1640 until 1652. His painted portrait with praising comments still appears in the church. After him came Adrianus Van De Zande (1652 - 1686). He led the begijnhof to its greatest expansion, in spite of several difficulties. Noisy boatmen on the river Dyle, for instance, caused troubles, especially when their ships were too high to pass under the bridge that links two parts of the beguinage. When the city of Leuven proposed to dig a canal around the Begijnhof, the Begijnhof refused, because this canal would cross the bleaching fields of the beguines. After two more years of troubles, in 1655, however, the beguines agreed, but the canal was no success. In 1658, an enormous flood caused serious damage. At the end of Adrianus' life, the Begijnhof had more than 360 beguines. He was succeeded by Johannes-Cornelius Claessens (1686 - 1709) and Johannes Pauwels (1709 - 1718). Meanwhile, the old houses were replaced by brick structures. By the end of the 17th century, the Beguinage of Leuven contained some hundred brick houses in a typical Flemish, sober baroque style, with traditional elements. Most beguinages today preserve their 17th century houses. The oldest quarter in the Beguinage of Leuven, near the church, has some 16th century houses. In the 18th century, a gradual decline continued until the French Revolution. In 1700 the number of beguines had already fallen down to approximately 300. In 1693 more than 25 of them had died in one year, probably because of an epidemic disease. In the 17th and 18th century, the armies of the French kings Louis XIV and Louis XV attacked the Southern Low Countries continuously. In 1747, father Gaspar de Laure (1718 - 1753) had to allow that these armies used the church of the begijnhof as a storehouse. Gaspar Johannes Enoch was priest in the Begijnhof during 37 years (1753 - 1790). The number of beguines went further down, to less than 200. Only at the end of the Ancien Régime, the population in the beguinages had a little increase, when the emperor Joseph II, closed all `useless' meditative monasteries. In 1797, father Johannes Van Den Hende was confronted with the bruteness of French revolutionists against his Begijnhof. These revolutionists had occupied Belgium and forbade all religious life (as they did before in France). Beguinages were suspended and their properties confiscated and sold. Some beguinages were destroyed, but most were taken over by a municipal welfare commission.

The 19th century and today

After the period of the French revolution, the beguine movement never refound its spirit: the Belgian Liberal Party, which was anti-religious, prevented the beguines from regaining their former properties. Nowadays, only a few beguines are still alive. Most preserved beguinages got cultural, social or touristical functions. The beguinage of Leuven was bought by the university in 1962. Except for one street, it was completely restored under the direction of professor R. Lemaire in the late 60's. The restoration was completed in 1990. Nowadays, 85 houses contain 500 rooms for students, professors and university guests. The former infirmary is now used as faculty club, where academic and technical staff meet. The house of Chièvres serves as a congress center.

Bibliography

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